


A Very Snapely Christmas

by julsweav, SAYS



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 11:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17202869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julsweav/pseuds/julsweav, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SAYS/pseuds/SAYS
Summary: For Marissa - Just a bit of Christmas torture for Severus Snape with Lily Evans.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elena78](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elena78/gifts).



> Dear Marissa!! Merry Christmas!! This tale is my labor of love for you and our love for our dearly departed Head of House, Severus Snape. (Sorry if it's a might scattered - this is like take 5 on this, rofl)

_**December 1976** _

 

Severus Snape made his way through the glade towards the pond near Cokeworth. It was where he'd met Lily Evans so many years ago. Where he'd figured out that she was a witch and had shown her the magic that they could create. She'd been his only friend for so many years. His new friends, led by Lucius Malfoy, looked down on her Muggleborn status, but Severus only saw just how wonderful she was to him.

 

Severus sat down on the fallen tree and huffed hot air on his freezing fingers. He was tempted to use a bit of forbidden magic because he was underage, but he didn't want to be caught. He grumbled and pulled out the pair of ratty, woolen gloves from his equally tattered coat and tugged them on his hands. He'd pull them off before Lily got there.

 

Things would be better once he was out of Hogwarts, away from Spinner's End and his disagreeable father. Lucius had assured him that there was a way to rise himself up with an acquaintance of his father. Once he was sure of his acceptance, he'd tell Lily about his better fortune for the future he could offer her.

 

Severus turned his head at the sound of crunching steps in the snow behind him. A rare half grin covered his face as Lily came into view and he stood up. He pulled off the horrible gloves before turning around. He couldn't do anything about the coat he wore, and he rubbed his hands together.

 

“Severus!” Lily called out and took the last few steps to stand before him. He wished they had a better meeting place, but his house was out of the question with his father always there. Always sitting in his worn out chair before the telly watching footy games. Cheering or booing, slamming his fist on the arm, getting louder as he got drunker. No place for a pretty girl like Lily, or his mum, he reflected.

 

“Lily, Happy Christmas!” Severus replied as cheerily as he could. He was freezing, and his voice wobbled because of it.

 

“You're freezing!” Lily said with concern and placed the plate she was carrying on the fallen log. “Why didn't you - ?” She shook her head slightly and pulled out her wand. She waved it and said a quick charm that created a warm spot around them. “Sit down!” she commanded and swept the plate back up.

 

“Lily...” Severus said in a warning tone, and was cheered by the sound of her light laughter. Didn't she understand the consequences of getting caught doing underage magic? He settled back on the log and took the plate from her. His stomach grumbled at the delicious smells coming from beneath the glittery, metal wrap.

 

“You worry too much,” Lily replied and grinned at him. She was sitting close enough that their knees touched to stay in the radius of her heating charm. “Small bits of magic never hurt anyone,” she continued and reached to pull off the aluminum foil that covered the plate. “I had the devil of a time putting this together without Petunia seeing,” she complained and her face scrunched together at the mention of her older sister.

 

“I doubt my father has even noticed I've gone,” Severus commiserated bitterly and shrugged his shoulders. He quickly took up the fork tucked onto the side of the plate and scooped up some of the turkey. There'd been no Christmas dinner at his house, but that was the norm not the exception. Except for Petunia, there were moments when he wished the Evans were his parents. But then, he couldn't be in love with Lily if she were his sister, was the constant reminder.

 

“This is wonderful!” Severus sighed blissfully once he'd finished that first forkful. He took two more bits in quick succession. He couldn't help it, but after all the years they'd known each other, Lily knew everything about him.

 

“Glad you like it!” Lily replied and smiled. Her hand reached out and touched his arm. “Your mum feeling better?” she asked curiously, and Severus gulped his last bite down. He rubbed his threadbare sleeve of his jacket over his face. More so to hid it than to clean off the touch of gravy clinging to his lip.

 

His eyes closed tightly, and the image of his mother's battered face fluttered across his minds eyes. He could feel the heat of tears trying to push past his lashes, and he sighed. Why didn't his mother fight back? She was a witch with strong magic... It was the question that burned in his heart. One day...

 

“I wish she'd leave him,” Severus' eyes opened and he heaved a shuddered breath. He would never treat Lily that way. _Ever._ She was his best friend, and his most valued confidant. Even if she did hang out with those nasty Gryffindors, those self proclaimed _Marauders._ Not a serious, studious bone in their bodies.

 

That he was sworn to secrecy by Professor Dumbledore on a grievous secret on one of them made Severus feel oh so slightly superior to them. What he wouldn't do to tell Lily about her precious friend Lupin (ironically the most studious of the lot) and his unhealthy lifestyle as a _werewolf_?

 

That would definitely end Lily's association with Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew. She would have to see that they weren't the right friends to have.

 

Severus set his plate in the snow beside the log they were sitting on once he was done. Their time together was almost done, for she'd have to return before Petunia found them and screeched out her displeasure on the benefits of magic. He'd probably huddle there a bit longer and hope his father passed out to the telly's broadcast sign off for the day.

 

There was so much Severus wanted to say to Lily this Christmas. The feelings that had slowly been growing in his heart were fair bursting with the words that went with his Christmas to her. A small figurine of a doe with glass green eyes that matched _her_ eyes. He'd dared his own bit of magic to transfigure it from a discarded silver cauldron in the attic. Broken ale bottles had been perfect to finish it off.

 

Severus had gotten the idea from watching Lily cast her Patronus in Defence Against the Dark Arts class. He'd watched her silvery doe dance around her in the room and had been transfixed. Amazed. He'd been too nervous himself to do his own that day, but had produced it for their professor later.

 

The same silvery doe, just a might larger than hers. He hadn't wanted the others to see his, and had preferred them all to think he couldn't do it.

 

“I have to go,” Lily said regretfully and stood up. She smiled down at him lightly. He stood up also. “Wait -” he replied and put his hand in his pocket to pull out the newspaper wrapped figure. “I wanted to say that -” He hesitated over the words he was trying to form. Instead, Severus felt the light touch of her lips against his before she turned away at the sound of a voice calling out “Lily!” in moonlit forest.

 

“Happy Christmas, Severus!” Lily called out and was gone before he could grab her arm to put the gift in her hand. “Happy Christmas, Lily,” he whispered in return, and cursed Petunia in his mind to the deepest vaults of hell.

 

**_Winter 1998_ **

 

Severus Snape's eyes opened as the happiest memory in his life flowed through him. He could still feel the light touch of friendship against his lips. Quickly, before all the regrets of that year killed the moment, he cast a silent Patronus spell towards Harry Potter standing outside near a tent. The silvery doe danced its way through the moonlit forest and guided young Potter to where a frozen lake held the real Gryffindor sword.

 

Snape cursed as he heard the crack of ice, and the splash of now liquid water. All would be for naught, and Dumbledore's portrait's plan would go awry. But then he saw another figure with bright red hair gleaming in the moonlit, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

 

The almost silent _pop_ of his Apparition spell wasn't noticed in the excitement of almost drowning by the boy that still lived.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Back at Hogwarts** _

 

Severus settled into his chair behind his desk and leaned back with an audible groan. It creaked as he shifted to open a drawer. He reached in and pulled out a nearly full bottle of Ogden's Best firewhiskey and a tumbler.

“It's done?” Severus heard from a portrait on the wall. He nodded as he poured the tumbler full. It had been ages, and the bottle had belonged to the previous headmaster, Dumbledore. “He didn't see you?” the portrait asked anxiously, and he shook his head at the painted version of his old master. “Your plan worked, Albus,” he replied and set the tumbler on the desk and closed his eyes. “Weasley managed to show up and drag him out of the water to safety.”

Severus picked up the tumbler and looked into the amber liquid reflectively. The silver doe with green glass eyes could be seen through it. So many 'ifs' traveled through his mind at the sight of it.

_What if he'd given the figurine to Lily and told her he loved her?_  
What if her love helped him not to join the Death Eaters?  
What if he hadn't betrayed her and her family to the Dark Lord by telling him of the prophecy?  
What if he'd gotten to her soon enough to protect her in Godric's Hallow? 

Severus took one more sip of the firewhiskey and tucked the bottle and the tumbler back into the bottom drawer of his desk. _Dumbledore's Desk._ He sighed and with a flick of his wand, the candles in the room flicked out.

There was still so much he had to do, but for tonight he hoped the firewhiskey helped him not to see twinkling green eyes going dark in his dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> Beta’d by MegGonagall of HPFT


End file.
